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STATE OF NEBRASKA 

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION 

LINCOLN 

Recent School Legislation 

The school legislation enacted by the thirtieth 
session of the Legislature of Nebraska is of far-reach- 
ing importance. Never before have the common 
schools had so fair a hearing. Special commendation 
is due the Senate Committee on Education, composed 
of Hon. L. Goodrich of Fillmore, Hon. R. M. Thom- 
son of Buffalo, Hon. C. L. Saunders of Douglas. Hon. 
A. Wilsey of F'rontier, Hon. S. H. Buck of Otoe; and 
cue House Committee on Piiblic Schools, composed of 
Hon. J. F. Shubertof Richard,son,Hon. J. W. Whitham 
of Johnson, Hon. F. C. Wilson of Custer, Hon. T. H. 
Doran of Garfield, Hon. C. H. Culdice of Saline, Hon. 
C. L. France of Otoe, and Hon. A. H. Metzger of 
Cherry. These committees gave intelligent and 
careful consideration to every proposed measure af- 
fecting the common schools. The school people of 
the state are grateful to the members of the legislaturt . 
individually and collectively, for their deep personal 
interest in educational affairs, and for their recognition 
of the needs of the common schools. The extraordi- 
riary success in wholesome school legislation is largely- 
uie to the united efforts of the school men and school 
■vomen of the state. The State Teachers' Association 
in December, 1906, appointed a committee to fornui- 
late plans and di-aft bills for introduction into the 
legislature. This conmiittee, consisting of one mem- 
ber from each congressional district and three nt 
large, was as follows: 



Members at large 

lyuther P. Ludden, D. D., Secretarj^ Board of Edu- 
cation of the State Normal Schools, Lincoln; W. L. 
Stephens, superintendent Lincoln city schools and 
president State Teachers x\ssociation; Florence Zink, 
superintendent Holt county; 
First congressional district — 

J. W. Gamble, superintendent Cass county; 
Second district — 

AV. A. Yoder, superintendent Douglas county; 
Third district — 

E. B. Sherman, superintendent Columbus city 
schools; 
Fourth district — 

C. W. Ta^dor, superintendent Geneva city schools; 
F'ifth district — 

Isaac Downey, superintendent Adams county; 
Sixth district — 

H. M. Pinckne)^ superintendent Custer county; 

The people of the state are to be congratulated upon 
the efficient and effective work of this committee. 

Much credit is due Inspector A. A. Reed of the 
University of Nebraska for his efforts in behalf of 
school legislation. 

Special attention is called to the seven great acts of 
the last legislature, which will do more for the public 
schools — the people's schools — than all school legis- 
lation combined since the act establishing public 
schools in Nebraska. Ten other school bills of con- 
siderable importance were enacted into law. The 
complete school laws will be published and rer.dy for 
distribution about June i. 

The seven great acts already referred to are ( i ) A 
law providing for a library in every public school dis- 
trict; (2) A free high school law; (3) A law enlarging 
the scope and increasing the number of junior nor- 
mal schools; (4) A law providing for normal training 
in high schools; (5) A law providing state aid to 
weak districts by appropriating $50,000 therefor; (6) 
A law making the minimum entrance requirements to 
state normal schools a two year high school education 
or its equivalent; (7) A law raising the standard of 
certification of teachers by private and denomination- 
al schools by providing for a more rigid inspection 
each year by the state superintendent or by the state 
board of examiners for life certificates. 

Summary of New School Laws 

Free High School Law.— 5. F. 21J, by King of 
Polk {Duplicate of H. R. 194, by Killen of Gage). 



13 1907 

D. ofa 



The purpose of this law is to provide four years of free 
public high school education for all the youth of this 
state whose parents or guardians live in public school 
districts which maintain less than a four-year high 
school course of study. Every pupil to be entitled to 
free high school education under the provisions of this 
law must present a certificate from the county superin- 
tendent showing that he has completed the course of 
study for the grade below that to which he seeks ad- 
mission and that he is unable to secure the desired 
grade of work in the public school district of his resi- 
dence. The parent or guardian of each non-resident 
pupil desiring free high school privileges iu any grade 
of the high school must, on or before the second Mon- 
day in June preceding the school year in which free 
high school attendance is desired, make written ap- 
plication to the county superintendent. Such appli- 
cation must show the number of the school district in 
which the parent or guardian maintains his legal resi- 
dence, the number of pupils for whom free high school 
privileges are desired, and the high school grade 
which each pupil is to enter. The county superin- 
tendent reports all applications to the director of the 
school district in which applicants reside. 

The legal voters at the annual school district meet- 
ing each year shall determine the amount of money 
required for free high school education during the 
coming school year, which shall be an amount suffi- 
cient to provide free high school education in accord- 
ance with the estimate furnished by the county super- 
intendent for all pupils in that district entitled to and 
for whom proper application has been made, which 
amount shall be levied as a tax upon all the taxable 
property of the district. This places the burden of 
free high school privileges for non-resident pupils 
where it belongs. The average school tax levy for the 
rural districts of the state is 14 mills, and for high 
school and city districts 19 mills. This shows that 
school districts which enjoy free high school privileges 
are the ones that should pay for it. Non-resident 
pupils will not be entitled to free high school privi- 
liges until all of the requirements have been met by 
pupils, patrons and school district before, at and after 
the annual school district meeting. For a complete 
explanation of this law see the Nebraska Teacher for 
April and May, 1907. The bill was passed with 

the emergency clause, in order that all preliminary 
arrangements may be completed for next year. 

This is a reciprocal proposition which will bring 
great benefit to both town and country. It will place 

3 



free high school privileges within the reach of every 
farmer boy and every farmer girl in the state. Every 
city, town, village, and hamlet in the state will have 
opportunity to share in the benefits of such a measure. 
It will bridge the gulf heretofore existing between the 
rural school and the university. Such a law will be 
a great inspiration for thousands of pupils to complete 
the rural school course of study. A pupil completing 
the course of study in a district maintaining only nine 
or ten grades may continue his higher education, with- 
out charge for tuition, in a high school maintaining 
eleven or twelve grades. This will make it possible 
for any boy or girl starting in the first grade of the 
rural school to have free school privileges until the 
senior j^ear in the University of Nebraska is completed. 

On a conservative estimate there will be at least 
3,000 countrj^ boys and girls taking advantage of the 
free high school privileges offered under this measure. 
These boys and girls will be under the instruction 
of over 1,000 trained teachers. 'It will place at the 
disposal of the state over $2,000,000 in school buildings, 
grounds, apparatus, books and libraries for the edu- 
cation of this great army of young people in the high- 
er duties of American citizenship. 

Normal Traiuiug in High Schools. — H. R. 24J, by 
Jenison of Clay, appropriating |5o,ooo, provides for 
normal training in the junior and senior years in from 
sixty to seventy of the strongest high schools ac- 
credited to the University of Nebraska and employing 
at least two teachers exclusive of the city superintend- 
ent who shall give their entire time to instruction in 
high school branches. The high schools qualifying 
for this work are to be designated by the state super- 
' intendent and are to be distributed by him among the 
sixty-seven representative districts of Nebraska, as 
nearly as well may be. The sum of $700 for the bien- 
nium is to be paid from the appropriation to each high 
school district in which a class of not less than ten is 
organized and instructed in accordance with the pro- 
visions of the law. Every scholar admitted to such 
class shall continue under such instruction not less 
than eighteen weeks in order to be counted in such 
class. The course of stud)^ shall consist of a review 
of at least nine weeks in each of the following 
subjects: reading, grammar, arithmetic and geo- 
graphy'; a study of American histor}' for one semester, 
and seventy-two periods of professional training. A 
course in elementary agriculture must be given in case 
it is not included in the regular high school course of 
study . 

4 



A bulletin giving the full text of H. R. 247, with 
rules and instructions, will be ready for distribution 
about Ma}' 15. All schools desiring to qualify under 
its provisions will be given ample opportunity to make 
a showing. 

Normal training in high schools is not a new ques- 
tion in the educational world. It was first inaugu- 
rated in the state of New York about seventy-five 
years ago. This was before the opening of the first 
state normal school in America at Lexington, Mass.. 
July 3, 1S39. During the past twenty years New York 
has appropriated annually $100,000 for normal train- 
ing in 100 of her strongest high schools notwithstand- 
ing she has 300 colleges, universities, academies and 
seminaries, and sixteen full-fledged state normal 
schools. Last year 2,921 prospective teachers received 
normal training in the high schools of New York. In 
his annual report for 1906, Commissioner Draper says 
of this work in the high schools of New York: "The 
most fruitful, if not the most hopeful, source of good 
teachers for the district schools is found in the train- 
ing classes. It is confidently believed that this agency 
for providing teachers for the rural schools will ever 
be increasing in its efficiency." Dr. W. T. Harris, as 
U. S. Commissioner of Education, declared normal 
training iu high schools as carried out under the New 
York system the most efficient and economical plan 
ever devised for giving us better qualified teachers for 
the rural schools. President Crabtree of the state 
normal school at Peru and Inspector A. A. Reed of the 
University of Nebraska give their hearty approval to 
this plan. Professor W. R. Hart of the department of 
education at the Peru state normal prepared a paper 
for the high school section of the Nebraska State 
Teachers' Association, December 27, 1906, in behalf of 
normal training in high schools. His good common 
sense, his faultless logic, his stubborn facts are un- 
answerable. This paper forms a classic on this sub- 
ject. II is evident from the views held by these educa- 
tors of national fame that Governor Sheldon was not 
an amateur adventurer in the field of education when 
he gave his approval to H. R. 247, providing for nor- 
mal training in Nebraska high schools. During the 
current biennium at least 2,000 prospective teachers 
will be given normal training in the junior and senior 
years in the seventy high schools qualifying for this 
work. I make bold to astert that this will do more 
toward giving us better qualified teachers for the rural 
schools than $100,000 would do through any other 
channel. 



At Least Seven Months of School. — H. R. j^S, by 
Doran of Gar^eld, Henry of Holt, Metzger of Cherry, 
and Wilson of Custer, appropriates $50,000 for the 
purpose of providing at least seven months of school 
each year in the first eight grades for all the youth of 
this state whose parents or guardians live in public 
school districts whose funds are not sufficient to main- 
tain school for at least seven months. The state treas- 
urer, upon a voucher drawn by the state superintend- 
ent in accordance with reports furnished him by the 
county superintendents, shall pay to each district 
which shall have voted the maximum tax levy auth- 
orized b}^ law, such an amount as is necessary to main- 
tain seven months of school with a legally qualified 
teacher at a salarj^ of not less than thirty dollars a 
month. No district shall receive aid from the state in 
any one year in excess of one hundred twenty dollars, 
which amount shall be applied exclusively to the pay- 
ment of teachers' wages. 

During the past year there were 306 school districts 
maintaining three months of school or less; 640 dis- 
tricts maintaining from three to six months of school. 
There will be about 1,000 districts in the northern and 
western counties entitled to state aid under this meas- 
ure. The average number of pupils in these 1,000 dis- 
tricts is about fifteen, which would mean that 15,000 
boys and girls will receive at least seven months of 
free schc ol privileges under this law. This makes it 
possible for all boys and girls in the state to receive 
at least an eighth grade education, which means at 
least two 3-ears more than they are now receiving. 

In due time a bulletin will be issued, setting forth 
the requirements for securing state aid under H. R. 
356. 

This is not an attempt to build society. It is an at- 
tempt by society to build the individual. Such a 
policy holds that the state is strong in the proportion 
in which every individual in the state is free, large, 
educated, independent. The policy too long pursued 
may have given us a finer educated upper class, nobler 
and deeper thinkers in greater numbers than we would 
have were vv-e to bend our efforts along this new line, 
but we have educated the top long enough at the ex- 
pense of the bottom. Let us unite to educate society 
from the bottom to the top. "We are not attempting 
to lift the favored classes higher; we are not attempt- 
ing to give to those that already have; we are at- 
tempting to put our hands under the foundations of hu- 
man society and lift everybody up. That is a slower 
work; but when it is done and its fruits are ripe- you 
6 



will never doubt again which is the wisest and best 
policy." 

Repeal of the State School Tax.— 5. F. 226, by 
King of Polk, repeals the state school tax, which un- 
der the old law was not less than one-half mill and not 
to exceed one and one-half mills upon all the taxable 
property of the state. It was found that practically 
the same amount of money was returned to the several 
school districts through the state apportionment as 
was raised from their taxable property by the one-half 
mill levj', and that the clerical work thus placed upon 
the state and and county treasurers was unnecessary. 
A school district needs only to vote one-half mill more 
local tax in order to have as much as it had under the 
state school tax levy. The direct appropriation by 
the state of |5o,ooo for normal training in high schools 
and 150,000 for state aid to weak districts will do vastly 
more for the common schools than did the proceeds of 
the one-half mill state school tax. Passed with emer- 
gency clause. 

Jiiuior Normal Schools.— 5. F. 232, by Hanna oj 
Cherry and Phillips of Holt, {Duplicate of H. R. 
igs, by Gliem of Red Willow, Green oJ Holt, Logsdon 
of Fillmore, Henry of Holt, Snyder of Harlan and 
Wilson of Custer.) This bill amends the junior 
normal school law by increasing the number of 
schools from five to not more than eight, and reduc- 
ing the term from ten weeks to not less than six and not 
more than eight. Proper credit for satisfactory work at 
these schools will be given students at the state nor- 
mal schools and at all schools authorized by law to 
grant teachers' certificates. Students completing the 
course of study prescribed for the junior normal 
schools shnll be granted b}' the Board of Education of 
the state normal schools a certificate of the same tenor 
and effect as the certificate to teach issued to the 
graduates from the elementary course of the state 
normal schools. 

"At each place where a junior normal school is es- 
tablished the public school buildings, textbt^oks and 
apparatus of the public school district shall be placed 
at the service of the state, without cost, under the 
jurisdiction of the state superintendent of public in- 
struction. In each county where a junior normal 
school is established not less than three-fourths of the 
entire institute fund shall be used by the state superin-- 
tendent of public instruction toward defraying the ex- 
penses of such junior normal schools. No junior nor- 
mal school shall be established in any count}' where 
the amount appropriated for the county institute fund 

7 



by the county board is less than one hundred ($ioo) 
dollars each year. In each county where a junior 
normal school is located the county superintendent of 
such county shall designate one week of the junior 
normal school as the institute week in and for his 
county. Any county superintendent in a neighbor- 
ing county to that in which a junior normal school is 
located may designate one week of the junior normal 
as the institute week for this county." Passed with 
the emergenc}' clause. 

The junior normal schools were established by 
the legislature of 1903. The schools at Alliance, Mc. 
Cook and Valentine were located by the legislature. 
The schools at Holdrege and North Platte were lo- 
cated by State Supt. W. K. Fowler before the location 
of the state normal school at Kearney by the Board of 
Education of the State Normal Schools. The ap- 
propriation by the legislature of 1903 for the main- 
tenance of the junior normal schools was $12,000, and 
the appropriation for their maintenance by the legis- 
lature of 1905 was |i5,ooo. The total enrollment at 
the five schools during the past four years was 3,948. 
Never did the state do so much good with $27,000 in 
the training of its teachers or in any other field. The 
appropriation for the eight junior normals as provided 
under the new junior normal law passed by the last 
legislature for the current biennium is $15,000. We 
shall have at least 2,500 teachers enrolled in these 
eight schools during the current biennium. Many 
county superintendents have testified to the better 
work accomplished in their schools as a result 
of the professional training given their teachers at 
the junior normal schools. T^e hearty sup- 
port given these schools by county superintend- 
ents, the large attendance on the part of teachers, the 
liberal patronage and generous donations from each 
place where a junior normal has been located, and the 
excellent service rendered the state b}^ the principals 
and instructors make a i-ecord full of credit and honor. 
The great mission of the junior normal schools is to 
train teachers in the western and northwestern coun- 
ties for teaching in the rural schools. 

A Library in Erery School. — H. R. j2, by Cone of 
Saunders. The school board of every public school 
district is required to set aside annually from the gen- 
eral funds of the school district the sum of ten cents 
for every pupil enumerated in the district at the last 
annual school census, which amount shall be annually 
invested in books other than regular textbooks, v^hich 
books shall be suitable for the school library. By 
8 



vote of the school board of anj^ district in which a 
free pubHc libi^ary is maintained and to the support of 
which at least $300 is expended annuall3^ this law is 
inoperative. 

Teachers may secure lists of books approved 
b}' the Nebraska Teachers' Reading Circle Board 
by addressing their county superintendents or the 
leading book companies. Books will be sent in a 
single parcel, transportation prepaid b}' the publishers, 
to any teacher or school officer in Nebraska on receipt 
of the money for the books offered. A |5 library, a 
fro library, or a $25 library maj^ be secured according 
to the funds at command' For "A Graded List of 
Books for School Libraries," or for information rela- 
tive to a/ree library, write Miss Charlotte Tenipleton, 
secretary of the Nebraska Public Librar}^ Commission, 
Lincoln, Nebraska. 

We wish to caution every school district against pur- 
chasing any books whatsoever from traveling agents. 
Many school districts in Nebraska have been imposed 
upon b)^ chart sharks and fake agents. An agent can- 
not pay his railroad fare, hotel bills, and livery hire, 
allowing him nothing for his salary, and visit rural 
school districts at an average cost of less than ^5 to $10 
per district. Then you must usually pay such agent 
at least two prices and oftentimes four prices for his 
books, which are as a rule not suited to the average 
rural school district. The actual expenses and profit 
of the traveling agent will secure for any district a 
good library by dealing direct with reputable publish- 
ing houses. 

lustitutious Authorized to Grrant Teacliers' Certifi- 
cates. — .S". /*". 26/, by King of Polk. The present law 
is amended by providing that the state superintendent 
shall each year, by personal inspection or inspection of 
the state board of examiners for life certificates, sat- 
isfy himself that the entrance requirements, degree 
requirements and professional study requirements have 
been maintained before any certificate is granted b}' 
said institution. 

Admission to Normal Schools. — S. F. 2^g, by Ran- 
dall of Madison, provides that no pupil may be adinit- 
ted to the state normal schools, except the junior nor- 
mals and summer terms of state noi-mals, who does not 
possess at least a two-year high school education, or 
its equivalent, as outlined in the Nebraska High School 
Manrial. 

With 500 high schools offering free high school 
privileges under the free high school law, this in- 

9 



creased entrance requirement is altogether fitting and 
proper. The place for children to receive their educa- 
tion is at home so far as possible. Besides, it will 
greatly relieve the crowded condition at the state nor- 
mal schools. 

School Tax Levy in Joint Districts. — S. F. 270, by 
Clarke of Adams, provides that the county board in 
any county in which a joint school district is situated 
shall make a levy for such joint district sufficient only 
to produce an amount bearing an equal proportion to 
the whole amount required for such joint school dis- 
trict which the valuation of the fractional part of the 
district lying within said county bears to the valuation 
of the entire district. Emergency. 

Vote in District to wliich Transferred. — 5". F. jog, 
by Clarke of Adams. Parents or guardians of pupils 
transferred under the provisions of section 4a, sub- 
division 5, school laws, are given the right to vote in 
the district to which they are transferred on all school 
matters except that of issuing bonds. Emergency. 

Compulsorj^ Education. — S. F. 50, by Thomas of 
Douglas. Section i of the compulsory education" law 
is amended so as to require attendance at school of all 
children under sixteen years of age during the full 
time that school is open in the district of their resi- 
dence. This provision applies only to schools in cities 
and metropolitan cities. This amendment was made 
to make the compulsory education law conform to the 
new child labor law. Emergency. 

School District Boundaries. — H. R. 42g, by Whit- 
ham of Johnson. .When a school district contains 
three sections of land or less, on petition of the dis- 
trict board or board of education, the county superin- 
tendent, county clerk, and county board shall have 
the right to change the boundaries of such district 
and of districts contiguous thereto so as to make the 
same just and equitable. Emergency. 

School District Bonds. — 5. F. lyS, by Wilsey of 
Frontier, decreases the required number of school 
children from 200 to 150 in districts which may issue 
bonds in an amount equal to ten per cent of district 
valuation. Emergency. 

Eminent Domain. — H. R. 221 by tValsh of Douglas, 
enables school districts to condemn ground for en- 
largement of schoolhouse site; and allows school dis- 
tricts in cities the right of eminent domain. 

County Institutes. — 5. F. 151, by Epperson of Clay, 
provides that county institutes shall be held during 
the months of June, July or August. Emergency. 



County High Schools. — S. F. sy6, by Epperson oj 
Clay, {Duplicate of H. R. jjd, by Farley of Hainil- 
lon). This measure enables counties to establish and 
locate county high schools; to call a special election 
for the establishment of a county high school upon 
the petition of loo freeholders of the county; provides 
that the county board shall constitute the board of 
trustees for each county high school and to take and 
have control of the affairs of such school; that the coun- 
t}' superintendent shall be the superintendent of such 
school ; to authorize the board to employ teachers and 
other employees; to include in the course of study 
manual training, domestic science and the elements 
of agriculture; to levy a tax for the support and main- 
tenance of such count}' high school, exempting school 
districts maintaining a course of study beyond the 
eighth grade; authorizes the board to issue certificates 
and diplomas; provides for the issuance of bonds and 
the levying of taxes not to exceed five mills for the 
payment of the same; makes tuition free to all pupils 
in the county. Emergency. 

DiscoiitinuMice of School District.—//. R. 113, by 
Wilson of Custer, provides for the closing of the af- 
fairs of school districts which for a continuous period, 
of one year have less than tv^o legal voters residing 
therein, or which for two consecutive years shall fail 
to maintain a district organization. 

J. L. McBrien, 

April 20, 1907. Superintendent. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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